Books to Love: Highwaymen and Rogues
Who can forget that dramatic scene in Anne of Avonlea (the film) when Anne recites The Highwayman?
“The highwayman came riding, riding, riding
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn door”
Alfred Noyes’ poem is full of menacing atmosphere. What I appreciate most about the poem is how well Noyes crafts the mystique of the highwayman, full of potency, competence, and romance. It is my belief that this poem has been instrumental in helping to create the trope of the highwayman that we see in a great deal of literature.
Some of my favorite novels deal with highwaymen. In most cases, they follow the trope of men who become highwaymen our of necessity. They are not well and truly rogues, you see. There’s a lot of the true gentleman about them. It’s just that life has handed them lemons and their personal brand of lemonade is made on the wrong side of the law- like moonshine, if you will.
Today I am sharing with you several books I have enjoyed that deal with highwaymen and rogues. It’s a fun trope within both historical fiction and romance. It is my hope that you’ll find them just as enjoyable as I have.
The Black Moth • Georgette Heyer
Oddly enough, Georgette Heyer, the queen of Regency historicals, is an author that I don’t ordinary like to read. I have read one or two of her novels here and there but on the whole I was not impressed. However, at the behest of Lauren Willig (an author who I hold in high regard, both for her own books as well as her book recommendations), I added The Black Moth to my reading list. And since 2022 was the year I resolved to read books out of my common circle of authors, this was the year that I read it.
If you are a fan of those sweeping and grand historical fiction pieces so prevalent during the ‘60s and ‘70s, then The Black Moth is one you should not miss, dear readers.
Set in Regency England, The Black Moth follows the story of Jack Carstares, the rightful Earl of Wyncham, whose noble impulse has forced him to leave the country in disgrace, leaving his younger brother to manage his estate. Much of the novel, we are uncertain what transpired to force Jack to take such an extreme measure. Living by his wits, with a flare for adventure, Jack has returned to England after seven years exile on the Continent. But, he’s not back with the fanfare the Earl of Wyncham should have; rather, he’s returned under the cloak of darkness with a nom de plume and full disguise. He’s returned to England as a highwayman.
His brief tango with the illicit and illegal finds Jack in an interesting situation, one which finds him yielding to his noble impulses, once again, to his own detriment. While roving the country seeking his next target, Jack encountered an attempted abduction and finds himself crossing swords with the infamous Black Moth, his old adversary, the Duke of Andover.
While Jack valiantly saves the damsel in distress, Diana Beauleigh, he is gravely wounded. Diana insists that she be allowed to nurse Jack back to health. All the while, he remains incognito. But, as young hearts are want to do, both Diana and Jack’s heart find themselves filled with love for each other. But how could a noblewoman and a disgraced highwayman ever find happiness.
The Black Moth is a delightful lark. Georgette Heyer’s writing style is archaic but today’s standards, which provides an added charm to the reading.
There’s another added boon to this book. One of the romance tropes that is really enjoyable to read is the disreputable anti-hero who, somehow, finds himself in the uncomfortable situation of having grown a conscience puts his sinful ways in check. Heyer creates one such character in Lord Tracy Belmanoir, the Duke of Andover. While reading The Black Moth, you know with all certainty that he is the villain of the piece, yet, somehow, he maintains an aspect of himself that makes you like him. I won’t tell you how this ends, as its too fun to give away, but if ever there was a character who could be the unlikely hero of his own story, it’s the Duke of Andover. (Maybe Heyer did just that and I’ve yet to find him…)
Gentleman Jim • Mimi Matthews
After reading The Black Moth, I wanted more in the same vein. And, as luck would have it, one of my readers recommended a new author to me who just happened to have a book that fit that specific bill: Gentleman Jim.
The title of this novel refers to a man whom we never meet. Gentleman Jim is an infamous highwayman, one with noble origins, not unlike Jack Carstares in The Black Moth. However, Gentleman Jim’s noble streak was a great deal more tarnished that Jack’s.
We begin the story with two young children, Margaret Honeywell and her dearest friends, Nicholas Seaton, a bar sinister who works in her father’s stables. While Margaret and Nicholas are bosom friends, with all the ingredients to make a true love story, she is meant for her wealthy neighbor’s son, Frederick Burton-Smythe.
As luck would have it, even at an early age, Margaret detests Fred. Her preference for Nicholas is obvious. Feeling the full brunt on her jilting, petulant Fred hatches a plan to uproot his rival for good: he accuses him of theft. Since the rumors already abound that Nicholas Seaton is a by-blow of notorious Gentleman Jim, his accusation sticks. Nicholas is dismissed. But, before he leaves, he promises Margaret that after he finds out about his true beginnings, whether he’s Gentleman Jim’s son or not, he will return to her.
Ten years pass with no word from him. And while Margaret holds out hope that he will return, the pressure to marry Fred intensifies with each passing year. In fact, her father finds himself in dire circumstance all at the machinations of the purported libertine John Beresford, Viscount St. Clare newly returned to England after many years abroad.
In an effort to save her father’s good nature and estate, Margaret travels incognito to St. Clare’s London residence to beg him to stop his vengeance. The plan is set; she knows the way she will confront him, the words she will speak.
But after being ushered into his library by the butler, the man who emerges out of the shadows is none other than her Nicholas.
St. Clare doesn’t know a thing about what this beautiful, feisty woman is talking about. He’s John Beresford, not some Nicholas Seaton. But, many better men than he have lost themselves to a beguiling woman.
So sets the stage for this wonderful Regency romp. It is filled with mistaken identities, false impressions, vengeance, and even some swashbuckling. All in all, Gentleman Jim is grand escapist fun.
The Scarlet Pimpernel • Baroness Orczy
The quintessential gentleman turned dubious is The Scarlet Pimpernel. He’s my favorite fictional hero. Rather than write at any length about him here, I’m providing links to a blog post that I did entirely devoted to him: Lines to Love: The Scourge of Frenchies Everywhere. So, when compiling a list of books that deal with highwaymen and rogues, it was a must to include him.
The Cornish Heiress • Roberta Gellis
If you recall my Coast of Cornwall post, you’ll know that this little peninsula holds a dear place in my heart. Mostly that’s because some of my favorite reads were set there, many of which I cover in my Coast of Cornwall post as well as A Dangerous Collaboration Edition.
The Cornish Heiress appealed to me because it had all the ingredients for a good story: set in Cornwall, a desperate woman who’s been sorely used by life who turns to a life of smuggling- which has a proud history in Cornwall, by the by, a nobleman who finds himself slipping into the same life of smuggling for the purpose of ferreting out necessary information during the Napoleonic Wars (aka- he’s a spy, goody goody), mistaken identities, angst riddled flirtations, grand adventures, perilous plots, and a satisfying dose of romance.
Roberta Gellis captures the atmosphere of Cornwall, the rugged coastline, the tempestuous waves, the dark, dankness of the smuggler’s cave, the warm, almost tropical air that provides the perfect backdrop for a steamy story.
One of the aspects that I appreciate about older novels- ones written in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, is how unapologetic they are in the crafting of their characters. Yes, yes, we know that we’re probably going to hear slightly archaic words like headstrong or feisty attached to the heroine, but in the end, those words translated through their actions simply mean confident, willful, forthright. The hero is thoroughly masculine- strong, purposeful, resolute. Both have defenses up that have been necessary for their survival. However, the more they are thrown together, their mistrust slowly shifts. Neither are certain of the other, but there is something there that wasn’t there before, as Mrs. Potts would say (check out In Memoriam: Dame Angela Lansbury post here).
The Cry of the Owl • Margaret Mayhew
Of all the books in his post, this one is the one that I remember the least. Mostly that’s because it was over fifteen years ago that I read it. However, it still left enough of an impression on me for it to spring to mind when I was compiling books for this post.
Like The Cornish Heiress, this novel deals with smugglers. It provides a lot of historical context. They are not called smugglers, but owlers, because of the sound of the owl that they make to communicate with each other.
In truth, I cannot remember whether I loved the characters. I’m inclined to think that I enjoyed them enough for this novel to remain, however, fragmented, in my memory. A quick perusal of the few reviews of it that I have been able to find leaves me questioning a little: would I like this novel as well today as I did when I was younger? This I cannot speak to. However, I have enough regard for your intelligence, dear readers, to leave this here as a suggestion and allow you to make up you own mind as to whether it’s a book you would pick up.
I will say this. Margaret Mayhew is an excellent author. Though she is better known for her novels that center around World War II, the few older historical novels by her maintain that same attention to historical detail and good craftsmanship.
And I know this has nothing whatsoever to do with highwaymen or rogues, but if you have not heard of it, Our Yanks by Mayhew is a poignant homage to the American men who fought for England and gave their lives. Lots of relevant historical detail and information I had not known prior to the reading. So worthy.
Well, dear readers, that’s all the news that fit to print on the Highwaymen and Rogues score. I’m sure I’ve missed several worthy inclusions here. If so, please drop a line in the comments below or on either Whiskers on Kittens Facebook or Instagram pages with your recommendations. I’m always looking for more books to add to my seemingly insurmountable To Be Read book pile.
